Mixing a little color into a lot of white brings down the sharp, and sometimes flat, feeling of an all-white space -- and creates a lovely pastel.
Depending on the primary shade of the undertone, pastels can be a great way to bring a little color to your home while staying timeless and neutral (or near-neutral).
Mixing one of these bright colors with a tried-and-true neutral, however, is a great way to give your space a little spice.
Red, orange, yellow, and pink all fall on the warm side of the color wheel and, when toned down with a neutral color, can bring a spirited or energetic vibe while still being timeless.
Incorporating near-neutral blues, greens, and even purples into your living room can create an atmosphere of peace and calm.
You can also pair your cool colors with dark neutrals (like black) to create a rich and intimate space that looks great in photos.
Since brown is itself a neutral color, you can't really go wrong painting your living room this earthy shade.
In fact, brown is having a bit of a moment in interior design palettes -- to the point that the shade "mocha mousse" was named Pantone's color of the year 2025.